There is a
striking parallel between the battle of supremacy between Vishwanath Anand and
Boris Gelfand, and between the Air India pilots and the Airline.

Neither player
could win any game. Then Gelfand struck. In the next game Anand hit back with vengeance.

There was a
kind of stasis in Air India for long. The pilots were difficult to manage, they
had their grievances. Merger between Air India and Indian Airlines became messy;
actually it practically did not happen as far as HR matters are concerned. The
Airline was living with the problems and awaiting solutions from Dharmadhikari
report.

Then pilots
struck. They struck work. 1 – 0.

Air India derecognized
the union, and dismissed more than 100 pilots. 1 -1.

It looks
like the game might go in for a ‘sudden death.’ The High Court has already
served contempt of court notices. The Airline has declared its intention to
recruit new pilots. It will not be easy for them to do it. Pilots are not
unskilled workers that a labour contractor can bring in large numbers.

And now Air
India has declared a VRS to clean up the executive cadre. Hopefully that
Airline will have cash to pay dues of the retiring employees.

The
employees are having unenviable choices: join the striking pilots or voluntary retirement.